Gripping device for ladders



.May 16, 1933. H. w. LANG 1,909,620

GRIPPING DEVICE FOR LDDERS Filed Nov. 26, 1932 *HENRYW LANG,

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Patented May 36, 1933 HENRY W. LANG, @E' LEBANON, NEW HAMFSHIRE a GBIBPING DEWUE FOR LADDERS Application filed November 526, 1932. Serial No. 644,521.

My invention relates to ladders, and has particular reference to improvements 1n pads to be attached to the lower ends of the ladder, to prevent slipping, c

An important 0 ject of the lnventlon is to provide a pad of the above-mentloned' character, which is so connected with the leg or side of the ladder that the maximum gr ping action is obtainable, without liabillty of the tilting of the pad in a manner to break such action.

A further object of the invention is to provide pads having connections with the legs or-sides of the ladder in such a manner that such pads are self-adjusting, to accommodate them to an inclined or irregular surface.

A. further object of the invention is to provide simple and strong means for securing the compressible pad element to theback of 510 the device.

A further object of the invention is to provide a pad of the above-mentioned character, which is simple in construction, strong, durable, and inexpensive to manufacture.

Other objects and advantages of the invention will be apparent during the course of the following description.

. In the accompanying drawing, forming a part of this specification, and in which like numerals are employed to designate likeparts throughout the same,

Figure 1 is a perspective view of a pair of pads, showing the same applied to a ladder,

Figure 2 is a central vertical 1ong1tud1nal section through one of the pads,

Figure 3 is a transverse section taken on line 33 of Figure 2, and,

Figure 4 is a bottom plan view of the pad.

In the drawing, wherein for the purpose of illustration is shown a preferred embodiment of my invention, the numeral 5 designates the legs or sides of a ladder, connected by the usual rounds.

The numeral 7 designates the pads embody- 5 ing my invention, which are connected with the sides 5 of the ladder, to prevent the ladder from slipping, and to prevent injury to the surface supporting the ladder. Each pad 7 embodies a back 8, which is rigid, and may be formed of sheet metal, or the like. This back is placed upon a compressible elastic pad element 9, formed of rubber or other elastic material. The back has its opposite ends bent downwardly to afford depending flanges 10, engaging the opposite ends of the pad element 9. The resilient and compressible pad element 9 is provided upon its lower face with a recess 11, this recess afiording a continuous rectangular flange 11, surrounding the same. The-recess 11 receives an attaching plate 12, preferably fitting snugly in the top of the recess, and this attaching plate is p i'nnected with the back 8 by bolts 13, or the The pad is connected with the leg or side 5 of the ladder, and it is essential that this connection be between the center of the pad and the end adjacent to the ladder. If the connection were at the center of the pad, or upon that side of the center remote from the ladder, there would be a tendency for the pad element under compression, to tilt, thereby destroying the gripping action of the pad element.

I have found that satisfactory results are obtainable by having this connection arranged at a point about two-thirds of the length of the pad element, from the end thereof remote from the ladder. This connection is eifected by providing an eye 14, rigidly attached to the back 8, at a distance of about one-third of the length of the back 8, from the end of the back adjacent to the ladder. This eye pivotally receives a second eye 15,'1igidly attached to a U-shaped yoke 16, receiving the end of the side or leg 5, of the ladder, and attached thereto by bolts 17, or the like.

In the use of the ladder, the pads 7 being attached thereto, will, of course, be transported with the ladder, and when the lower end of the ladder is placed near the ground, or supporting surface, the pads 7 will engage such supporting surface, and due to the universal joints effected, by the eyes 14 and 15, these pads will automatically adjust themselves to such surface. The sides or legs of the ladder being inclined, exert a downward pressure upon the pads in a diagonal direction. Since the pressure is applied to the back 8 near the end of the back adjacent to the ladder, the pressure serves to firmly hold the elastic compressible pad element upon the surface, without any tendency to cause the same to tilt, which would thereby break the suction action. This is a very important feature of the invention. If the eye it were arranged at the center of the back, or between the center and the end of the back remote from the ladder, the diagonal pressure from the ladder would tend to compress the remote end of the pad element 9, thereby elevating the rear end and breaking the holding action. The recess 11 not only provides for the suction action, but also produces the flanges 11', and these flanges are sufliciently elastic and compressible to have a powerful holding or gripping action with the surface, but sufficiently strong so that they will not collapse. Since the pad element is not tilted, the flanges are maintained in contact with the supporting surface, throughout their entire area, thereby producing the maximum gripping action. The gripping action is due in part to the flexibility of the continuous flange 11, surrounding the recess 11, and also to the action of suction within the recess. When the term ladder is used in the claims and the end of the pad element next to the ladder is recited, it is intended that the ladder is vertical or inclined in the direction of the rear end of the pad element next to the ladder, so that its upper portion extends beyond such end. The end of the pad element next to the ladder is regarded as the rear end, and the end of the pad element remote from the ladder as the forward end.

It is to be understood that the form of my invention herewith shown and described, is to be taken as the preferred example of the same, and that various changes in the shape, size and arrangement of parts may be resorted to without departing from the spirit of the invention or the scope of the subjoined claims.

Having fully described my invention, what I claim 1s:

1. A device to be secured to the leg of a ladder for preventing slipping, comprising an elongated elastic pad elementprovided 3. A device to be secured to the leg of a ladder for preventing slipping, comprising an elastic pad element provided upon its lower face with a recess and a surrounding flange, a relatively rigid back arranged upon the upper surface of the pad element, and attaching means between the back and the leg of the ladder, said attaching means being arranged relatively near the rear end of the pad element next to the ladder.

l. A device to be secured to the leg of a ladder for preventing slipping, comprising a substantially flat elongated resilient pad element provided upon its lower face with an elongated recess and a surrounding flange, a rigid back mounted upon the top of the pad element and extending throughout substantially the entire length of the pad element, means to attach the back to the pad element, and auniversal connection between the back and the leg, said connection being located between the center of the back and the rear end thereof next to the ladder.

In testimony whereof, I afiix my signature;

HENRY W. LANG.

upon its engaging face with a recess roducving a continuous marginal flange, an means for connecting the pad element with the leg of the ladder, such connecting means being located relatively near the rear end of the pad element next to the ladder.

2. A device to be secured to the legof a ladder for preventing slipping, comprising an elongated elastic pad element provided upon its engaging face with a recess producing a continuous marginal flange, and means connecting the pad element with the leg of the ladder at a point between the center of the pad element and the rear end thereof next to the ladder. 

